Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a separation holding member used in a cartridge of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
As systems for transferring a developer from a developer bearing member to an image bearing member (developing a latent image) in process means of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus (hereinafter, an image forming apparatus) such as a copier or a printer, a contact developing system and a non-contact developing system are known. In the contact developing system, developing is performed by bringing the image bearing member and the developer bearing member in contact with each other. In the non-contact developing system, developing is performed while holding a minute clearance between the image bearing member and the developer bearing member. Cartridge-system image forming apparatuses are known in which the process means is integrated as a cartridge that is attachable to and detachable from an image forming apparatus main body. During distribution of a cartridge on an independent basis as well as during distribution of an image forming apparatus in a state where a cartridge is mounted to an apparatus main body, there is a concern that an image bearing member and a developer bearing member being arranged in proximity to or in contact with each other may incur damage due to vibration, impact, and the like during transportation and delivery. In other words, in the contact developing system, since the image bearing member and the developer bearing member are always in pressure contact with each other during transportation and delivery, the developer bearing member may permanently deform so as to follow a surface shape of the image bearing member or rubbing between the image bearing member and the developer bearing member may occur and leave rub marks on the bearing members. In addition, in the non-contact developing system, the cartridge may suffer a big impact during transportation and delivery and, consequently, the image bearing member and the developer bearing member may abut against each other and incur damage. In order to solve such problems, a configuration is known which, at least during transportation and delivery, maintains a relative arrangement of an image bearing member and a developer bearing member to a state where the image bearing member and the developer bearing member are more separated from each other than when performing developing (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-241621). In addition, configurations are known which are provided with a separation holding member for holding an image bearing member provided in a cartridge and transfer means that is process means provided in an apparatus main body in an separated state when the cartridge is mounted inside the apparatus main body during transportation and delivery (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-31507, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2008-262088).